Vehicle



VEHICLE Filed oct. 1e, i929 `j UNITED STA Patented ug'. 4, 11931 TES @ILES H. coox, or mis MOINES, WA2- VEHICLE Application filed October 16, Serial No.$)9,933.l

An object of this invention isV to provide means `for shifting vehicle when making a turn.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for shifting the center of gravity .of-'a' vehicle to the inside of a turn when said vehicle is making a turn.

A further object of the invention is to prolvide automatic means operable through the steering mechanism of a vehicle, whereby thel center of gravity lof said vehicle is shifted laterally during a turning operation.

A further ob] ect of the invention is to provide improved automatic means for counterkacting the overturning effect of the centrifugal force acting on a vehicle when making a turn. v y A further object of vvide improved connections' between the running gear ofa vehicle 'and the body thereof, whereby said vehicle body may be tilted relative to said running gear when making` a turn, in such manner as to shift the center of body whereby the latter may be automatical-V ly tilted to the inside of a turn during la turning operation. e l

A further object ofthe inventionr is to provide `an improved vehicle having inherent means for automatically simulating the effect of a laterally inclined roadway turn when said vehicle is being turned.

My invention consists in the construction,

arrangement v,and combination of elementsv` hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, I in which-.- Y, .y y,

Figure 1 isa plan view of the forward, or steerable, .end ofa `Vehicle chassis embody'- inv my improvement,

'chicle being omitted.. Figure 2 is afront elevation, partly in section, ofthe steerabley the center of gravity of aV the invention is to proi shown,l the numeral 10 designates the body of a vehicle suitably supported on a` frame 11,

gravity of said vehicle .body toward the in-'A side of the turn to counteract the overturn.

between the the body portion ofthe end of a vehicle embodying my improvement,

a lportion of the body of said' vehicle `being omitted to conserve space.: Figure 3 an elevation, partly in section, of the power or driving -end'v of a vehicle embodying myinvention, a portion of the vehicle bodybeing omitted to conserve space. Y

In the drawingsmy improvement is shown on and forining'part of a conventional motor vehicle,orf automobile, to which type of vehicle the invention is particularly applicable, but it, is to be understood that '.theillustfrative showing Vis but typical `and that the invention includes' the applicationof'the im-v provement `to other specific vehicles or typesV of vehicles when andwhereverl it ma function in the manner hereinafter described.

In the lconstruction of the improvement as ina common and well yknown manner. An axle 12 extends transversely of and beneath theforvvard portion of the frame 11 and is fixed to said frame, either directly or through the ageiicyvof springsas the Apurpose ofthe vehiclejmay dictate. `Theends ofthe'axle 12 extend'laterally onk each side of and beyond' Vthe yframe 11 and each end of saidaxleterinitiates in ,a vertical, laterallyopening yoke 13. rlhe parallel arms feach yoke y1 3 are' formed with registering holes in each pair of, whichis. seated a king-pin or bolt 14",.said king-pins vor` bolts connecting each 'pairrof yoke `arms and being suitably secured against rotation relative to said arms. The portion of eachking-pin or bolt 14 between thearms of eachyoke 13 is provided `,withaneizternal screw thread 15 of rel'atively'highv pitch, f

said'screw threads 15 being opposite in direc-A tionA .ofV pitch,`th'e ,threadA on the left hand side of the vehicle being' at right-hand screw andthe ythread on ythe right hand side e* vof the vehicle being a left-hand screw. Spindle bodies 16 eachsupport a spindle 17 kand 'are formed with internally-threaded bores p'erpendicularto their spindleaxes, the threads of said boresA corresponding with the screw-.threads 15, of the' king-pins 14,jand 'I l said spindle vbodies 16 are mounted on and in threadedengagement with said kingpinsV 14- l Los; y

in such manner as to position the spindles 17 in substantial alinement with and projecting beyond the axle 12, so that wheels 18 may be mounted on said spindles for rotation in vertical, parallel planes and for rolling support of the axle 12 and elements carried thereby. Spindle arms 19 are formed on or fixed to each of the spindlerbodies 16 and extend rearwardly therefrom in substan* tially parallel relation, the rear ends of said arms 19 being pivotally interconnected byV means of a link 20, whereby the parallelism of the wheels 18 is preserved. A lateral ex` tension 21 is formed on the left hand one of the spindle arms 19 and has its free end connected by means of a link 22 with the free end of a steering arm 23 vcarried by the ve- 'hicle in operative relation with a steering wheel and column (not shown) such as are commonlyy employed on motor vehicles.. It

is obvious from the above described relation of element-s that when the steering wheel of the vehicle is operated to swing the free end .of theA arm 23 forwardly of the vehicle, moving the link 22 forwardly to act through the extensionv 21 and arm 19 to rotate the spindle vbody on the left hand side of the vehicle about its king-pin 14 and thus move the attached spindle 17 and its wheel 18 through a horizontal are., that the right hand wheel 18 is moved simultaneously through a similar arc by virtue of the link 20 connecting the arms 19 to effect a left hand turn of the steering end of the vehicle. In like manner, operation of the steering wheel to swing the free end of thel steering arm 23 rearwardly of the vehicle reverses the direction of the operations above described and effects a right hand turn of the vehicle. that the spindle bodies 16 are in threaded relation with their respective king-pins 14 and that said king-pins carry threads of opposite 'l pitch, it should be apparent that rotation of said., spindle bodies in the same direction about their respective king-pins results vin lowering of one end of the axle 12 and rais- 'ing of the other end, thus tilting the body, carried by said axle, the pitch of the threads on said king-pins being such as to lower the end of the axle on the inside of a turn and raise the end of the axle on the out- Iside of the turn so as to throw the center of gravity ofthe body 10 laterally inward of straightforward or rearward travel.

Due to the fact apertnred bess 80 fixed to .or linlr'22 is transmitted As shown in Figure 8, the rear portion of the body 1() carded by the traine 11 is supported from and above the conventional rear axle housing 24 which connects and is supported by the driving wheels 25, by Ineans ot' links 26 and 27u said links having their lower ends pivotally secured in widely spaced relation to said housing 24 and rising thererom in a common vertical plane and in converging relation to pivotal connections with a cross-bar 28 oi the traine 11, the pivotal connections of the upper ends of said links 26V and 27 lying on opposite sides of the longitudinal median line or the body 10 and being spa-ced apart a distance considerably less than the spacing of the lower ends of said links on the housing 24'. The cross-'bar 28 may be free oi the traine 11 and serve vas a `support for springs which in turn carry the frame 1.1 and body 1C), if so desired, such de` tails of construction in no way effecting the principle and operation of the invention. The rear end oi the trame 11 and body 10, when mounted and connected as above described, is free to oscillate relative to tht housing 24 and wheels 25 when and as the forward end of the vehicle body is oscillated through the tilting oit the axle 12, as is indicated by the dotted lines in riigure' 8, but to avoid twisting strains on the frame 11 and body 10 it isexpedient that the rear end oscillation of said elements be positively controlled and synchronized with the forward end oscillation, for which purpose ar rigid arm 29 is lixed to and extends laterally iron the link 26 intermediate its ends, said 29 terminating in apertured boss overlying and in spaced vertical alinement with an the housing. 24. The apertures in the boss o the arm 29 ant" in the 30 are inaxial alinement and are each provided with internal threads oil' relatively high pitchj the direction oi'pitch of the threads in one boss bein opposite to that of the threads in the other boss. and a spindle 31 having threaded portions opposite in direction ot pitch and adapted to engage in the threaded` aperturesoi the bosses above described is mounted Abetween and in threaded engagement through the said bosses in such manner that rotation of said spindle 31 in one directiondraws the said bosses together while rotation oi the spindle in the opposite direction spreads the said bosses further apart, which change in the relation of said bosses acts through the arm 29 andlink 2() to oscillate the body 10 and frame 11 to one side or the other. A lever is lixed to and extends laterally from the spindle 3l and has its i'ree end pivotally connected tl'irongh link 88 with the extension arm 21 or link t of either the arm 21 longitudinallyof and actsr through so th at mov the vehicle by the link` o Vthe lever 32 to rotate-the spindle 31, the

, rear axle, laterally-opening,

'axle automatically operable saisir-,447s

amount and directioiiof the rotation of said'vz spindle naturally being'dependent onand" l l conforming with the movement of said armf= manuallyeoperable means carried bys'aid ve- 2l and link 22, the degree and direction ofi;

carried by said spindle' pitch of the threads parallelism@ ensail spindle bodies,- s link connecting i therifree ends f if said larme and lucie an/df operatively engaging one of-lfsaid j arms whereby said* arras and-link finayj'fbr beingsuch as to provide, tilting of the mani-actuated-'tofsteer'thewheels carried by's'aid end of the frame 1l and ofl a turn uniformly with the forward end of said `elements whenever the steering mechanisin is` actuated. Since many changes land modifications inf the specific form'and construction of the ele-'i means for the control of said steerable wheels,

`and control means operatively connected with said body supporting means and manuallyoperable steering means whereby said front axle may be tilted to automatically oscillate said vehicle body to the inside of a turn when said steerable wheels are actuated to turn said vehicle.

- 2. The Vcombinationwith a vehicle having an axle, steerable wheels supporting the ends of said axle, a second axle parallel with said first axle, non-steerable wheels supporting the ends of said second axle, a vehicle body fixed to said first axle and link-connected for lat-V eral oscillation to said second axle and manually-operable means for the control of said steerable wheels, of connections between said steerable wheels and the ends of said first to depress Lthe inner and raise the outer ,end of said axle when said wheels are actuated Vto turn said vehicle and further vconnections between the vehicle steering means andthe links supporting said vehicle body whereby saidlinks are automatically adjusted to oscillate said body to the inside of a turn when said steering means is operated. y Y v Y 3. In a vehicle, spaced, parallelfront and rear axles, a vehicle body fixed -to said front axle and link-connected for lateral oscilla tion to said rear axle, wheels supporting said vertically-disposed yokes on the ends of said front axle, op-

positelylireaded pins vertically-disposed 1n' body 10 tothe inside-rspindles, said ments shown and described may be had with-f arrest @sie reime@ ai Said spindle bodies.

i castagneti@ rotation if saidspnae bodies' on" said-threaded *pi-iis ,and tilting the vehicle body carriedlbysadaxle 14 ayehiciefsfpaee, naar axles, aveji'iele body posed yokes yon the ends of said front axle,

A steering jeperatindepressing I onerend and-raisng-.tne other end of'said garanti' fr0-nieand laterally-opening, vertically-disy oppositely threaded pins verticallydisposed Y inflxed, parallel relation across the openings' I of said yokes, spindle Vbodies threadedly mounted for rotation on and rectilinear trav- Y el along. said pins, spindles-extending latterally from said spindle bodies, wheels'on said spindles, parallel arms on said spindle4 bodies, aV link connecting the free ends of saidy arms, manually-operable means carried 'by said vehicle and operatively engaging one of said arms whereby said arms and link ma be actuated to steer the wheels carried by sa spindles, av

pair of converging links rising from and pivotally connecting said rear axle,`

with said vehicle body, a boss on said rear axle, a fixed arm on one of said links in spaced, overlying relation with said boss, a spildie extending between and through said boss and fixed arm, said spindle being threaded in one direction through said arm and in an opposite direction through said boss, a lever fixed to saidY spindle kand a'link connectingv said lever with a movable element of said steering means, whereby `actuation of said steeringineans automatically raises one end and depresses the other end of 'said front axle and simultaneously rotates said threaded spindle to tilt said vehicle body when said vehicle is being turned from a straightl Course.

' 5. In avehicle having a front axle supportv ed by steerable wheels and laterally pivoted to said rear axle and rising therefrom in converging relation to pivotal connection` links tiltable,V through the steeringof saidrwheels and, a

fixed relation with said frontl with said vehicle body, a laterally-extending v arm fixed to one of said links and connections between said arm and said steering means wherebyactuation of the latter automatically moves the former to tilt said vehicle body relative to Vsaid rear axle as said front' axle is tilted through a steering operation. i. A. ,y 6. In a 'vehicle having wheel-supported iso . 4 miam 4 axles, a vehicle body fixed to one of said axles and link-connected; for lateral oscillation to the other of said axles, steerable Wheels on one of said axles and manually-o y rable 5 'steering means for the controlof sai steer-3. able wheels, means operatively connected with said steering means for automatically tilting the axle fixed to said vehicle body and simultaneously tilting said body relative to the la link-connected axle when said steering means l is operated toturn said vehicle from a straight course, and means for leveling up the body of the vehicle when it resumes a straight course. In kwitness whereof I afiix my signature.

15; GILES H. COOK. 

